ABC Home & Healthcare Pro

Pros

• ABC Home and Healthcare is a wonderful agency that is a premier homecare provider in Wakefield, MA.
• They were all very nice.
• The top managers are the very best ever.
• These two women are huge assets to ABC Home Care.
• Great small business that cares about the community!
• What a joy to have such a professional woman.
• What a top notch caring person.

Cons

• The reviewer would give zero stars to the agency.
• The reviewer advises against hiring this agency for home care.
• The coordinator's communication is described as extremely poor.
• Homemakers are described as having spotty attendance and being unreliable.
• Last-minute calls that caregivers won't come are frustrating.
• The supervisor did not return calls, and the receptionist said the client had been discharged because help couldn't be found.
• A lack of timely status updates is criticized as unprofessional.
• The company is said to lack credibility and responsibility in providing services.
• The care provided was below par and the aides were described as lazy; the owner was described as lacking professionalism.
• The owner, Janette Sheehan, is described as unable to speak to people or control her emotions and left a threatening voicemail.
• Scheduling during a blizzard was mishandled, with care canceled with less than 12 hours' notice.
• The reviewer recommends looking elsewhere for professional home health care.

Review

The reviews present a company with a strikingly mixed reputation, where some families sing high praises about leadership and compassionate care, while others describe ongoing problems with scheduling, communication, and reliability. Several accounts portray ABC Home Care as a major presence in Wakefield, MA, capable of delivering genuine warmth and professional bedside manners in some cases, and as a large organization with a serious gap between its best intentions and its day-to-day operations in others. The range is broad enough that readers are left with a nuanced impression rather than a single, uniform story.

On the negative side, one reviewer accuses the agency of extremely poor communication between the coordinator and the client. They describe spotty attendance by homemakers and last-minute calls indicating that caregivers will not be coming, which they found deeply frustrating. The situation was compounded by the supervisor not returning a call and, when the client followed up, being told by a receptionist that the client had been discharged because the agency could not find help. The critic emphasizes that a simple, professional update about scheduling would have been the right course of action, suggesting a core workflow failure in how the agency manages expectations and keeps clients informed. Overall, this reviewer urges others to look elsewhere due to a lack of credibility and responsibility.

Another account is equally stern, noting experiences that led to a near-zero rating. The reviewer claims the company's care was subpar, with aids deemed lazy and a leadership figure described as lacking professionalism. They recount a threatening voicemail left by the owner and a notice-heavy day - such as a blizzard - when the agency gave little advance notice that care would be paused for an extended period. The review accuses the owner of being unable to accept constructive criticism and of canceling a care contract with less than 12 hours' notice through the hospice, criticizing both the execution and the responsiveness of management. This perspective frames the agency as unable to meet basic commitments or communicate reliably under challenging conditions.

Against this backdrop of criticism, other reviews offer a much more favorable picture, highlighting strong leadership and dedicated caregivers. A number of positive remarks center on the upper management, describing them as the "top managers" who started a client off on the right track and helped someone become a full-time healthcare professional with more than 15 years of experience. One reviewer even thanks ABC Home Care for investing in a specific caregiver named Paula, praising a nurse named Dina as punctual, professional, and clearly devoted to her role. The sentiment here is that when the leadership and the frontline staff are aligned and engaged, the agency can deliver outstanding care and meaningful outcomes for clients and families. These accounts also celebrate the company's branding as "Committed to a Life at Home" and present ABC as a strong, community-oriented small business that truly cares about the people it serves.

There are also stories of deeply positive, transformative experiences within families. In Wakefield, a reviewer notes ABC Home and Healthcare as a wonderful agency and a premier homecare provider, reinforcing the idea that the organization has a reputable identity within the community. Another vivid story describes the experience of caring for a mother with Alzheimer's disease. The family felt supported by ABC, with staff who patiently explained options, answered questions, and found a compassionate aide who could visit multiple times a week, sometimes overnight. This aide became a trusted presence, treating the mother with love and respect and forming a strong bond with her. The arrangement lasted two years, allowing the mother to stay at home longer and giving the family crucial support during a difficult period.

A separate anecdote focuses on end-of-life and dementia care, where the experience was again mixed. A family hired ABC to care for an elderly grandmother who was Hospice-bound and a grandfather with dementia. The reviewer describes the care as below par, citing lazy aides and a lack of professionalism from the owner. Specific criticisms include a late-day cancellation during a blizzard with very little notice and the owner's refusal to take constructive feedback about the performance of staff. The review concludes that if you are seeking truly professional home health care, you should keep looking, signaling that the agency's performance in these sensitive situations was not meeting expectations and that the leadership style appeared to undermine trust and reliability in critical moments.

Taken together, the collection of reviews paints a picture of inconsistency that families should weigh carefully. There are compelling stories of care that improved lives, supported by responsive leadership and dependable nurses who arrived on time and offered genuine compassion. At the same time, there are urgent warnings about communication gaps, scheduling difficulties, abrupt cancellations, and disputes with management that damaged trust and created real stress for families navigating care for loved ones. The contrast is stark: when the agency's people and processes align, families feel grateful and confident; when they do not, the experience can be deeply frustrating and distressing.

For families considering ABC Home Care, the message across these reviews is to approach with both hope and caution. The positive experiences underscore the value of strong leadership, reliable scheduling, and caregivers who truly connect with clients. The negative experiences highlight the risks of poor communication, inconsistent attendance, and disputes with ownership that can erode trust at critical times. Prospective clients might find it worthwhile to ask direct questions about scheduling protocols, how cancellations are handled, and how the agency ensures continuity of care, especially in situations involving hospice, dementia, or conditions requiring constant oversight. In the end, outcomes often hinge on the specific team assigned and the responsiveness of management, rather than on a uniform, company-wide performance.

Wakefield, Massachusetts offers a peaceful and convenient location for senior living. With several parks nearby such as Middlesex Fells Reservation and Mary Cummings Park, there are plenty of opportunities for outdoor recreation and relaxation. In terms of amenities, there are multiple pharmacies within a few miles, making it easy to access necessary medications. Additionally, there are various dining options ranging from fast food to sit-down restaurants like Liberty Bell Roast Beef and Seafood. For medical needs, there are reputable physicians and hospitals in the area including North Suburban Orthopedic Associates and Lahey Clinic. Public transportation is also easily accessible with MBTA stations within a short distance. Places of worship such as St Agnes Parish and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints provide spiritual support for residents. Overall, Wakefield offers a well-rounded community that caters to the needs of seniors seeking a comfortable and convenient lifestyle.

Parks

• Middlesex Fells Reservation (0.2 miles)
• Melrose Common (3.3 miles)
• Sheepfold, Middlesex Fells Reservation (3.5 miles)
• John M. Devir Park (5.6 miles)
• Mary Cummings Park (6.4 miles)
• Tufts Park (7 miles)
• Grove-Cedar Bike Path (7.5 miles)

Pharmacies

• CVS Pharmacy (0.4 miles)
• Walgreens (1.5 miles)
• Walgreens (2.5 miles)
• Walgreens (3.1 miles)
• CVS Speciality (3.2 miles)
• CVS Pharmacy (3.4 miles)
• Walgreens (4 miles)

Cafes

• Starbucks (1.6 miles)
• Perfecto's Caffe (5.9 miles)
• Pressed Cafe (6.9 miles)
• Starbucks (7.1 miles)
• Starbucks (7.4 miles)

Restaurants

• McDonald's (2.5 miles)
• Liberty Bell Roast Beef and Seafood (2.6 miles)
• Soc's Icecream (2.7 miles)
• Kelly's Roast Beef (3.1 miles)
• Chipotle Mexican Grill (3.3 miles)
• Hooters (3.5 miles)
• The Brickyard (4 miles)

Physicians

• North Suburban Orthopedic Associates (2.9 miles)
• Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates (5.7 miles)
• Lahey Clinic Ophthalmology (6.5 miles)
• Microsurgical Eye Consultants (6.6 miles)
• Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates - Peabody-Lynnfield (7 miles)
• Lahey Clinic Peabody (7.2 miles)
• Sports Medicine North (7.2 miles)

Transportation

• Ballardvale Mbta Station (5.9 miles)
• Wellington Station (6.8 miles)
• Assembly Station (7.4 miles)
• MBTA Davis Square Station (7.5 miles)

Hospitals

• Lahey Clinic (6.6 miles)
• Childrens Hospital Peabody (6.6 miles)

Places of Worship

• St Agnes Parish-Arlington (6.8 miles)
• The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (7.2 miles)
• Lynn Spanish Branch Latter-day Saints (7.2 miles)
• Danvers Church Of The Nazarene (7.3 miles)
• St Richard Catholic Church (7.7 miles)

Theaters

• AMC Assembly Row 12 (7.3 miles)
• AMC Burlington Cinema 1 (7.3 miles)